"We Will Be on Air Again With New Channels Soon”

Following the broadcasting license cancellation and 5 million Danish Krone fine, bianet interviewed Erdal Er, a programmer from recently unlicensed Nuçe TV. 

“We certainly believe that we will be on air with our new channels soon. We are working on the issue,” he told bianet. 

“The court ruling was not a disappointment for us, we were expecting that,” he continued. “But I must add that this is such a shameful ruling in the name of Europe and all its values.”

“Nobody can explain the broadcasting license cancellation of ROJ TV, MMC and Nuçe TV within the limits of justice nor press freedom. Denmark can’t explain this. They put a judicial cloak on an internationally political decision. This is all about it.” 

“Kurdish question always marked an item of trade between nations on political, military and economic negotiations. Turkey, U.S. and some European countries reached a decision at the end of a dirty negotiation and closed down our TV network. They decided on Turkey’s favor. It is also very meaningful that they decided in the course of peace process.”

Er claimed that none of their news content included a tiniest clue of public harm or anything that would provoke hatred.  

“Turkey’s sovereign media generally has an anti-Kurdish broadcasting. The public must know what concessions Turkish governments made in order to close down ROJ TV and Nuçe TV since 2004.”

"Nobody will remember Turkey and those who took this decision in a good way. This is their fault. If we are broadcasting under exile circumstances, this is Turkey’s shame."

"Nuçe TV was the voice of people"

Our spectators are used to all sorts of oppressions, Er continued. “We will keep on our struggle though. Therefore, we will follow the free press tradition. We will do what they have done. We certainly believe that we will be on air with our new channels soon. We are working on the issue.”

“We will do this in the name of our roughly 100 colleagues in Turkey, we will do this in the name of all ignored peoples such as Kurds, Alevis, minoroties, Armenians, Roma people, women and the oppressed. Nuçe TV was the voice of people.”

On July 3, Copenhagen City Court have cancelled broadcasting licenses for ROJ TV, Nuçe TV and MMC, ordering each television network to pay 5 million Danish Krone fine.  The aforementioned TV networks were allowed to object against the ruling providing that they paid their fines within 15 days. 

However, ROJ TV General Manager Imdat Yılmaz said they filed for bankruptcy as ROJ TV and producer firm Mezopotamya TV were unable to make a payment of 10 million Danish krones (roughly 1.4 million euros). 

Who is Edal Er?

Starting his career on Med TV, Erdal Er worked as programmer on Medya, ROJ TV and Nuçe TV. Lastly, he was presenting two programs in Nuçe TV - Aktüel, a daily news show and Soru-Cevap, weekly program. (EA/BM)

* Click here to read the original article in Turkish.